Method for changing user-originating information through interaction between mobile device and information display device

ABSTRACT

A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprises computer readable instructions, which when executed, cause at least one processor of a mobile device of a user to (a) identify at least one communication device within a predetermined distance from the mobile device as a target to perform a specific interaction to change user-originating information, (b) establish a communication channel with the communication device, when a specified touch gesture is detected in the mobile device, (c) receive, from the communication device, data related to the specific interaction; and (d) transmit, to a server, the data related to the specific interaction.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 15/427,686,filed Feb. 8, 2017, which is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No.14/686,365, filed Apr. 14, 2015, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S.application Ser. No. 14/485,450, filed Sep. 12, 2014, which claims thebenefit of Korean Application No. 10-2013-0110727, filed Sep. 13, 2013,in the Korean Intellectual Property Office. All disclosures of thedocuments named above are incorporated herein in their entireties byreference.

BACKGROUND 1. Field

Example embodiments relate to a method for changing user-originatinginformation through interactions with other users, a non-transitorycomputer readable medium, and/or an apparatus configured to perform thesame. For example, at least some example embodiments relate to a methodfor changing user-originating information by searching a second mobiledevice of a second user as a target for performing a specificinteraction with a first user of a first mobile device within a desired(or, alternatively, a predetermined) distance from the location of thefirst mobile device, transmitting to, or receiving from, the secondmobile device data related to a specific interaction if a specifiedtouch gesture is detected by the first mobile device, and allowing aserver to update the information originating from at least either of thefirst and the second users.

2. Description of the Related Art

Recently as smart devices have been widely used, users of the smartdevices increasingly perform interactions through the smart devices.Smart device users perform interactions, including giving or receivinggifts with others or carrying out financial transactions, by using smartdevices.

In particular, building relationships with others or growing personalconnections in social networks may examples of interactions that may beperformed by using such smart devices. To build relationships withothers and grow personal connections in social networks, users of socialnetwork service (SNS) may send so-called “friend requests” to others,which may be accomplished through a cumbersome procedure. For example,the user may have to search a name (or nickname) of other person whomthey want to build relationships with, click or touch a button, send amessage of friend request to the person and then wait for the person'sacceptance. However, it may be difficult for users who are not familiarwith SNS to perform such procedure.

SUMMARY

Example embodiments may provide solutions to the problems mentionedabove.

At least some example embodiments are directed to searching a mobiledevice of the other person to perform an interaction with a user'smobile device without any complicated procedure.

At least some example embodiments are directed to updatinguser-originating information relating to the other person only withsimple user interface very easily by updating the user-originatinginformation recorded in a server or a database interacted with theserver if a gesture of the user's swiping gesture to an image displayedon the mobile device is detected as a specified touch gesture. At leastsome example embodiments are directed to omitting cumbersome proceduresincluding the user's finding the other user under the name of the otheruser on the SNS, selecting the other person among searched differentpersons with the same name, sending a friend request, etc. and allow aninteraction to be intuitively performed because the interaction isavailable as long as the application installed in the mobile devices ofthe user and the other user is turned on. At least some exampleembodiments are directed to allowing the interaction between mobiledevices to be available as long as an application installed in themobile devices is turned on, if a financial transaction between the userand the other user is carried out, and allow the financial transactionto be carried out just with a simple swipe gesture (even though bothmobile devices are not physically contacted or nearly contacted witheach other).

In accordance with an example embodiment, there is provided anon-transitory computer-readable medium including computer readableinstructions, which when executed, cause at least one processor of amobile device of a user to execute an application program in one of abackground and foreground of the mobile device to, identify at least onecommunication device within a first distance from the mobile device as atarget to perform a specific interaction to change user-originatinginformation, establish a communication channel with the communicationdevice in response to detection of a specified touch gesture on a screenassociated with the mobile device, receive, from the communicationdevice, data related to the specific interaction in response to the userproviding an input to the communication device, and transmit, to aserver, the data related to the specific interaction to instruct theserver to update user information stored in the server or a storagedevice interacted with the server based on the data related to thespecific interaction.

In accordance with an example embodiment, there is provided a mobiledevice including a memory configured to store an application program;and at least one processor configured to execute the application programin one of a background and foreground of the mobile device to, identifyat least one communication device within a first distance from themobile device as a target to perform a specific interaction to changeuser-originating information, establish a communication channel with thecommunication device in response to detection of a specified touchgesture on a screen associated with the mobile device, receive, from thecommunication device, data related to the specific interaction inresponse to a user providing an input to the communication device, andtransmit, to a server, the data related to the specific interaction toinstruct the server to update user information stored in the server or astorage device interacted with the server based on the data related tothe specific interaction.

In accordance with an example embodiment, there is provided a method ofoperating a mobile device, the mobile device including at least oneprocessor to execute an application program in one of a background andforeground of the mobile device, the method including identifying atleast one communication device within a first distance from the mobiledevice as a target to perform a specific interaction to changeuser-originating information, establishing a communication channel withthe communication device in response to detection of a specified touchgesture on a screen associated with the mobile device, receiving, fromthe communication device, data related to the specific interaction inresponse to a user providing an input to the communication device, andtransmitting, to a server, the data related to the specific interactionto instruct the server to update user information stored in the serveror a storage device interacted with the server based on the data relatedto the specific interaction.

Additional aspects and/or advantages of the example embodiments will beset forth in part in the description which follows and, in part, will beobvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of theexample embodiments.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and other objects and features of the example embodiments willbecome apparent from the following description of some exampleembodiments given in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, inwhich:

FIG. 1 is a drawing illustrating the brief configuration of the wholesystem to change information originating from at least either of a firstuser and a second user by using a mobile device through an interactionwith others in accordance with an example embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a drawing showing the internal configuration of the mobiledevice in accordance with one example embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a drawing representing the internal configuration of a serverto change user-originating information on at least either of the firstuser and the second user with the support of a first mobile device ofthe first user and a second device of the second user in accordance withan example embodiment.

FIGS. 4A and 4B are exemplary drawings to explain the performance of theinteraction between a user and the other user in accordance with a firstexample embodiment.

FIGS. 5A and 5B are exemplary drawings to explain the performance of theinteraction between the user and the other user in accordance with asecond example embodiment.

FIG. 6 is an exemplary drawing to explain the performance of theinteraction between the user's mobile device and the information displaydevice in accordance with a fourth example embodiment.

FIG. 7 is an exemplary drawing to explain a method of changinginformation originating from a user based on a user interaction relativeto a communication device using a mobile device and a mobile device inaccordance with an example embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a signal flowchart illustrating transmission and reception ofinformation/data among a mobile device, a communication device, and aserver in accordance with an example embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The detailed description of example embodiments illustrates specificexample embodiments with reference to the attached drawings.

In the following detailed description, reference is made to theaccompanying drawings that show, by way of illustration, specificexample embodiments. These example are described in sufficient detail toenable those skilled in the art to practice the example embodiments. Itis to be understood that the various example embodiments, althoughdifferent, are not necessarily mutually exclusive. For example, aparticular feature, structure, or characteristic described herein inconnection with one embodiment may be implemented within otherembodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the exampleembodiments. In addition, it is to be understood that the location orarrangement of individual elements within each disclosed exampleembodiment may be modified without departing from the spirit and scopeof the example embodiments. The following detailed description is,therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of theexample embodiments defined only by the appended claims, appropriatelyinterpreted, along with the full range of equivalents to which theclaims are entitled. In the drawings, like numerals refer to the same orsimilar functionality throughout the several views.

The example embodiments will be described by referring to attacheddiagrams in detail as follows:

Whole System

FIG. 1 illustrates the brief configuration of the whole system toautomatically change information originating from at least either of afirst user and a second user by using mobile devices in accordance withan example embodiment. The “information originating from a user” or“user-originating information” will be explained later.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, the whole system in accordance with an exampleembodiment may include a server 100, a communication network(non-illustrated), the first user's first mobile device 200 and thesecond user's second mobile device 300. For reference, the first userand the second user may be described as the terms “a user” and “theother user”, respectively, herein.

First of all, the communication network may be implemented to eitherwired or wireless network. The communication network may include a widearea network (WAN), a local area network (LAN), a telecommunicationnetwork, an artificial satellite communication network, and otherdiverse networks. More preferably, the communication network may bewireless communication networks implemented by technologies such as IEEE802.11, Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), Wideband Code DivisionMultiple Access (WCDMA), Global System for Mobile communications (GSM),and Long Term Evolution (LTE). However, the communication network mayalso include at least part of a publicly known wired and wireless datacommunication network, a publicly known telephone network, or publiclyknown wired and wireless television networks without being limited onlyto these.

Next, the server 100 may receive data related to an interaction to beperformed between the first user as owner of the first mobile device 200and the second user as owner of the second mobile device 300 from atleast either of the first mobile device 200 and the second mobile device300 through the communication network. By referring to the data relatedto the interaction, it may update information originating from the firstuser or the second user stored in a database (non-illustrated).

Herein, the user-originating information may include information onlists of Social Network Service (SNS) friends, financial accountbalances or transactions, address books, coupons, etc. of the first userand the second user.

Lastly, the first mobile device 200 and the second mobile device 300 maybe digital devices which are capable of communicating between the firstmobile device 200 and the second mobile device 300 and/or accessing theserver 100 and then communicating with it. Such digital devices, mayinclude a mobile phone (particularly, smart phone), a tablet PC, alaptop, etc., with touch panels.

The detailed explanation on configurations and functions of the mobiledevices 200 and 300 and the server 100 will be made.

Configurations of Mobile Devices of the Users

Internal configurations of the mobile devices in accordance with exampleembodiments and functions of their components will be explained.

FIG. 2 is a drawing showing the internal configuration of the mobiledevice of the user (i.e., the first user) which performs a specificinteraction with that of the other user (i.e., the second user) tochange information originating from the user or the other user who has arelationship with the user.

As illustrated in FIG. 2, the mobile device 200 may be configured,including a touch screen 210, a memory (not shown) and processingcircuitry (not shown). The processing circuitry may be, but not limitedto, a processor, Central Processing Unit (CPU), a controller, anarithmetic logic unit (ALU), a digital signal processor, amicrocomputer, a field programmable gate array (FPGA), an ApplicationSpecific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), a System-on-Chip (SoC), aprogrammable logic unit, a microprocessor, or any other device capableof performing operations in a defined manner. The processing circuitrymay be configured, through a layout design or execution of computerreadable instructions stored in a memory (not shown), as a specialpurpose computer to perform the functions of, for example, aninteraction target searching part 220, an interaction initiating part230, a user-originating information update instructing part 240, acommunication part (non-illustrated), and a control part 250, discussedbelow.

First, the touch screen 210 may perform a function of receiving a touchgesture from the user. The touch screen 210 reads a touch position ofthe user. The control part 250 may determine a type of touch gesture,e.g., tap, long-press, drag, or swipe gestures, by using the read touchposition. An interaction between the user's mobile device 200 and theother user's mobile device 300 may be performed depending on a positionor a type of the entered touch gesture.

Next, the interaction target searching part 220 may perform a functionof searching the other user's mobile device 300 as a target for thespecific interaction with the user's mobile device 200 within a desired(or, alternatively, a predetermined) distance from the location ofuser's mobile device by using a variety of location determinationtechnologies including global positioning system (GPS), Wi-FiPositioning System (WPS), or Cell ID (CID).

In this case, if the user (i.e., the first user) turns on a certainapplication program in his or her mobile device while same kind ofapplication programs to the certain application program are run underthe background state (or foreground state) in respective mobile devicesof the other users (i.e., the second users) and regularly transmit therespective locations of the mobile devices of the other users to theserver 100, the information on the other users around the first userwill be collected and transmitted to the user's mobile device by theserver 100. After that, if the user selects at least one of the secondusers, a message may be allowed to be pushed to the selected seconduser's mobile device and if the selected second user selects (e.g.,clicks) the message through the touch screen of his or her mobiledevice, the application program in the selected second user's mobiledevice may be automatically executed and then the first user's mobiledevice and the selected second user's one may be at a communicablestate. If there is any second user's mobile device whose application isturned on (i.e., awake from the background state) among the secondusers' mobile devices, the first and the second user's mobile devicesmay be automatically communicable without any transmission of the pushedmessage.

Besides, the interaction target searching part 220 may perform afunction of searching second users' devices connected to a local areanetwork, i.e., an AP or Wi-Fi ad-hoc network which the first user'smobile device has accessed. In case of the local network using AP or thenetwork using the Wi-Fi ad-hoc mode, the first user's mobile device 200may transmit a query inquiring whether an application program inaccordance with example embodiments is installed to all the secondusers' mobile devices connected to the AP or the ad-hoc network in aform of multicast or broadcast. Among the second users' mobile devicesconnected to the AP or the ad-hoc network, one or more second users'mobile devices where the application program is installed or running maytransmit information on whether installed or not with information on therespective second mobile devices by responding to the query. Thisexample embodiment was explained on assumption that whether theapplication program is installed or not is inquired as a query, but itis not limited to this. For example, the user's mobile device 200 mayinquire general information on the other user's mobile device 300 (e.g.,“who are you,” etc.) as a query, and may also receive information onidentifiers (e.g., mobile phone number, UUID, etc.), IP address, MACaddress, or possible financial transactions of the mobile device,whether to install and/or run an application for financial transactions,etc. as a response thereto.

In addition, the interaction target searching part 220 may search theother user's mobile device 300 which may be directly connectedwirelessly with the user's mobile device 200 through Bluetooth, Wi-FIDirect, etc. For instance, in case of direct wireless connection betweenmobile devices through Bluetooth, Wi-Fi Direct, etc., the user's mobiledevice 200 may know whether it could be directly connected with neighbormobile devices within a desired (or, alternatively, a predetermined)distance, e.g., signal transmission coverage, and whether theapplication program in accordance with example embodiments has beeninstalled therein. For example, if the user's mobile device 200 searchesthe other users' mobile devices 300 with which the user's mobile device200 can directly connect wirelessly around itself, the searched mobiledevices 300 may provide information on the ID thereof and availableservice information, e.g., information on whether the applicationprogram is installed, for the user's mobile device 200. The user'smobile device 200 may select a specific second user's mobile device 300to interact with among the searched mobile devices 300 by using theprovided information on the ID and the available service information.Even if direct connection between devices is implemented in thefifth-generation (5G) mobile communication in the future, it is madeclear that the example embodiments may be implemented through the 5Gmobile communication.

More preferably, if there are multiple mobile devices 300 searched tohave the installed application program in accordance with exampleembodiments therein (or searched based on particular informationreceived as a response to the query) through the interaction targetsearching part 220, the user's mobile device 200 may automaticallyselect a certain mobile device where the application program is turnedon among the searched mobile devices to perform an interaction with thecertain mobile device. In other words, without going through separateconnection/approval procedures for the wireless connection between bothmobile devices, as long as each application installed in both the firstuser's and the second user's mobile devices is turned on, the bothmobile devices are at the wirelessly connectible state. In this case,user convenience is improved because the probability of unnecessarilyinteracting with the other user's mobile device 300 which does not wantto communicate, i.e., the mobile device 300 where the application is notturned on, is reduced. The interaction target searching part 220 maydetermine whether the application is turned on by acquiring the signaltransmitted by the application. At the time, the application program maybe a program to perform the specific interaction.

It is noted that the interaction target searching part 220 could also beimplemented to provide a list including information on the at least onespecific second user's mobile device to perform interactions to thefirst user's mobile device even if the application program is installedbut is not turned on in the at least one specific second user's mobiledevice.

If there are multiple second users' mobile devices where the applicationprograms in accordance with example embodiments are turned on among thesearched second users' mobile devices, the interaction target searchingpart 220 may allow the list of the second users' mobile devices in whichthe application programs in accordance with example embodiments areturned on to be displayed on the first user's mobile device 200. In thiscase, the user may select a target to perform the specific interactionwith among the second users' mobile devices whose information isdisplayed on the first user's mobile device 200 to thereby establish aconnection with the target. If there is only one second user's mobiledevice in which the application is turned on, the first user's mobiledevice could select the second user's one automatically as a target forinteraction without any entry of the user, of course.

At the time, the interaction target searching part 220 may also allowinformation on the target, i.e., the selected the other user's mobiledevice 300, to be displayed on the user's mobile device 200 to make theuser check whether the other user's mobile device 300 selected asspecified above is the appropriate target to perform the interaction.

More desirably, the user's mobile device 200 may turn on the capabilityof transmitting and receiving a wireless signal together with turning onthe application program in accordance with the example embodiments n toenable the search function of the interaction target searching part 220.

Next, if the specified touch gesture of the user is detected through thetouch screen 210 and the control part 250, the interaction initiatingpart 230 may perform a function of transmitting or receiving datarelated to the specific interaction to or from the other user's mobiledevice 300 searched and selected by the interaction target searchingpart 220. The data related to the specific interaction may play a roleas a triggering signal for triggering a change of the informationoriginating from the user or the other user. And the data related to thespecific interaction may include (i) data immediately required to changethe information originating from the user or the other user (so-called“actual data”) such as data on the SNS account of the user or the otheruser, financial account information (account number, balance and thelike), or transaction amount, or (ii) a signal for simply declaring anintention, which is not the actual data (e.g., instruction definedbetween the mobile devices). Detailed explanation of (i) actual data tochange the information originating from the user or the other user, or(ii) the signal for simply declaring the intention that could beincluded in the data related to the specific interaction will be given.

The specific interaction may be at least one of interactions for makinga SNS friend, performing a financial transaction, giving and receivingcontact numbers, and giving a coupon as a gift and proper data could betransmitted or received depending on types of interactions, i.e., typesof the user-originating information to change.

More specifically, in accordance with a first example embodiment, theuser may perform the interaction to make SNS friends with the otheruser. In this case, if a specified touch gesture is detected,information on the SNS account of the user or the other user (i.e., theactual data), as data related to the specific interaction, may betransmitted. It is noted that information may be not on the SNS accountof the user or the other user. In this case, the signal for simplydeclaring the intention to update the information on the list of SNSfriends could be transmitted as data. The signal for simply declaringthe intention could be just the declaration of the intention of “wantingto interact” of the user or the other user and just the entry of aspecified touch gesture through the mobile device of the user or theother user could be treated to be the entry of such a signal for simplydeclaring the intention. By referring to the data related to thespecific interaction, the user-originating information updateinstructing part 240 to be explained below may instruct the server 100to update the information originating from the user or the other user.Even though information on a certain SNS where the user wants to be SNSfriends with the other user among multiple SNS such as facebook,twitter, and Linkedin and information on the SNS accounts of the firstuser and the second user is not transmitted between the user's mobiledevice 200 and the other user's mobile device 300, if the signal forsimply declaring the intention to update the list of SNS friends istransmitted as the data related to the specific interaction, the server100 may be instructed to update the list of SNS friends by receiving theinformation on the certain SNS where the user wants to be SNS friendswith the other user among the multiple SNS and the information on theSNS accounts of the first user and the second user from the mobiledevices 200 and 300 of the user and the other user.

The user may interact with the other user for a financial transaction.In this case, if a specified touch gesture is detected, the actual datasuch as transaction amounts, and financial account information of theuser or the other user as the data related to the specific interactionmay be transmitted between the user's mobile device and the otheruser's. Of course, only the signal for simply declaring the intention ofwanting the financial transaction might be transmitted as the datarelated to the specific interaction. If the signal for simply declaringthe intention of wanting the financial transaction is transmitted, eventhough the data such as, transaction amount, financial account number ofthe user or the other user, balance, a type of institution supportingthe financial transaction is not directly transmitted between the user'smobile device 200 and the other user's mobile device 300, the server 100may be instructed to update the balance or transactions of the financialaccount of at least either of the user or the other user by receivingthe actual data such as the transaction amount, the financial accountnumber of the user or the other user, the balance, the type ofinstitution supporting the financial transaction from the mobile devices200 and 300 of the user and the other user.

In the past, a financial transaction by using a smart device was nothingbut simply transferring money from a bank or insurance account of theuser to the account of the other user. To perform this, it the user mayconduct the financial transaction through complicated procedures afterlogging in the bank account by using an application supported by theuser's bank. In case of a digital wallet payment service by using thenear field communication (NFC), it may be difficult to search a mobiledevice which might perform the digital wallet service because theoperable scope was very narrow and it was inconvenient to place a mobiledevice physically close to another mobile device. Besides, the user maynot be able to enjoy convenience of automatic connection between twomobile devices wherein the automatic connection is established as longas the application is turned on in both mobile devices. In accordancewith the example embodiments, the financial transaction between the userand the other user is available because they become wirelessly connectedwith each other as long as the application installed, respectively, inboth mobile devices is turned on, even though both mobile devices arenot physically contacted.

The user may perform an interaction for giving and receiving a contactnumber with the other user. At the time, if a specified touch gesture isdetected to have been entered in the user's mobile device 200,information on a business card of at least either of the user or theother user as data related to the specific interaction (i.e., the actualdata) may be transmitted or the signal for simply declaring theintention to update an address book may be transmitted.

The user may perform an interaction for giving to, and receiving from,the other user a coupon. In this case, if a specified touch gesture isdetected to have been entered in the user's mobile device 200,information on a type of coupon and information on the user or the otheruser as data related to the specific interaction (i.e., the actual data)may be also transmitted or the signal for simply declaring the intentionto update coupon information may be transmitted.

Lastly, the user may perform an interaction for an on-line shoppingexperience. For the user who is watching a shopping channel on theinformation display device 500 such as a smart TV including a setup box,for example, if a specified touch gesture is detected to have beenentered in the user's mobile device 200, information on product, price,consumer review/rating, and seller as data related to the specificinteraction (i.e., the actual data) may be transmitted or the signal forsimply declaring the intention to update shopping information may betransmitted. If the signal for simply declaring the intention of wantingthe shopping is transmitted, even though the actual data is not directlytransmitted between the user's mobile device 200 and the informationdisplay device 500, the server 100 may be instructed to update theshopping-related data of the user by receiving the actual data from themobile device 200 or the information display device 500.

The specified touch gesture as displayed on the user's mobile device 200may be a gesture of swiping an image corresponding to the data relatedto the specific interaction to a first direction. Herein, the firstdirection may be a direction of taking a gesture of pulling the imageout of the mobile device 200 but it is not limited to this.

Meanwhile, the image displayed on the user's mobile device 200 maydepend on a type of interaction. For example, in case of an interactionfor making a SNS friend, an image to be displayed may include the datarelated to the SNS account of the user (e.g., an image on which aprofile photo, name, nickname, etc. of the user of the other user on theSNS or a business card-shaped image). In case of an interaction forconducting a financial transaction, the image may be a shape of bill. Incase of giving and receiving a contact number, the image may be a shapeof business card of the user of the other user. In case of aninteraction for giving and receiving a coupon, it may be a coupon-shapedimage. Herein the coupon-shaped image may include text information asthe case may be. In case of an interaction for on-line shopping, it maybe a product-shaped image.

In brief, if the user enters a gesture of swiping an image correspondingto the data related to the specific interaction to the first direction,the data defined above is transmitted to the other user's mobile device300 and an image corresponding to the data may be displayed on the otheruser's mobile device 300. Herein, it was explained on assumption thatthe data is transmitted from the user's mobile device 200 to the otheruser's mobile device 300, but conversely the data could be transmittedfrom the other user's mobile device 300 to the user's mobile device 200.

The interaction initiating part 230 may perform a function of certifyinga particular user. In the interaction for a financial transaction,security is important because the information originating from the useror the other user may be updated only with the signal for simplydeclaring the intention to update the information. Security may beenhanced by checking whether the touch gesture is made by the userhimself or herself. At the time, the user may be certified by using afingerprint recognition module. A fingerprint may be recognized by usinga fingerprint recognition sensor embedded or attached in the mobiledevice and by using either of a swipe type sensor for swiping a fingeron the fingerprint recognition sensor or an area type sensor fortouching whole area of the finger at once. The touch gesture andfingerprint of the user may be recognized at the same time by using thetouch panel of the mobile device as a fingerprint recognition module aswell.

Next, the user-originating information update instructing part 240 mayperform a function of instructing the server 100 to update informationoriginating from at least either of the user and the other user storedtherein or a storage device interacted therewith by referring to thedata related to the specific interaction transmitted or received by theinteraction initiating part 230. For reference, the informationoriginating from the user and the other user stored in the server 100 orthe storage device interacted therewith is explained to be identical tothe information originating from the first and the second users storedin user-originating information database to be described later.

The user-originating information update instructing part 240 instructsthe server 100 to update information originating from at least either ofthe user or the other user. And the server 100 may receive the datarelated to the specific interaction through an interaction informationcollecting part 120 which will be explained later and instruct theinformation originating from at least either of the user or the otheruser to be updated by referring to the received data.

More specifically, if a specified tough gesture is detected in the firstmobile device 200 and the data related to the specific interaction istransmitted to the second mobile device 300, the interaction informationcollecting part 120 may receive data related to the specific interactionfrom the second mobile device 300. For example, in case of theinteraction for making a SNS friend, information on a certain SNS wherethe user wants to be SNS friends with the other user among multipleSNS's such as facebook, twitter, and Linkedin and information on the SNSaccounts of the first user and the second user may be included.Conversely, if the first mobile device 200 receives the data related tothe specific interaction, the interaction information collecting part120 may receive the data related to the specific interaction from thefirst mobile device 200. Besides, if the specified touch gesture isdetected in the first mobile device 200 and the signal for simplydeclaring the intention is transmitted to the second mobile device 300to update the user-originating information, the interaction informationcollecting part 120 may receive the data related to the specificinteraction, respectively, from the first mobile device 200 and thesecond mobile device 300.

The user-originating information update instructing part 240 mayinstruct the information originating from the user or the other user tobe updated when the specified touch gesture is detected in the user'smobile device 200 or when the specified touch gesture entered in theother user's mobile device 300 is detected as a signal of transmittingand receiving the data, as the case may be.

At the time, the touch gesture, detected as the signal of transmittingand receiving the data, inputted through the other user's mobile device300 may be a gesture of swiping an image corresponding to the datarelated to the specific interaction to a second direction. The seconddirection may be a direction showing that the other user fully draws theimage partially displayed on the mobile device 300 into the other user'sown mobile device, but it is not limited to this. While the firstdirection intends to intuitively express that the images of “making aSNS friend”, a bill, a business card, a coupon, etc. are transmitted tothe other user, the second direction may be considered to intuitivelyexpress that the aforementioned images are received.

Further explanation will be made exemplarily by referring to FIGS. 4, 5,and 6. FIG. 4A and 4B are example drawings to explain that theinteraction between the user and the other user is performed inaccordance with SNS example embodiment and FIGS. 5A and 5B are exampledrawings to explain that the interaction between the user and the otheruser is performed in accordance with the financial example embodiment.FIG. 6 is an example drawing to explain the performance of theinteraction between the user's mobile device and the information displaydevice in accordance with the on-line shopping example embodiment.

As illustrated in FIGS. 4A and 4B, the user and the other user mayperform an interaction for making SNS friends though their mobiledevices 200 and 300. As illustrated in FIG. 4A, an image 410 relating toa SNS friend request may be displayed on the user's mobile device 200.The image 410 may include a profile photo uploaded to the user's SNSaccount, the user's name or nickname on the SNS account, a message for afriend request, etc. If the user takes a gesture of swiping the image410 to the arrow-direction illustrated in FIG. 4A as a specifiedgesture, the data related to the interaction for making the SNS friendis transmitted to the other user's mobile device 300 and the image 410(or an image whose contents are somewhat changed from the image 410according to a situation of the other user) relating to the SNS friendrequest may also be displayed in the other user's mobile device 300 asillustrated in FIG. 4B. If the other user takes a touch gesture ofswiping the image displayed on the mobile device 300 to thearrow-direction illustrated in FIG. 4B, the server may be allowed toupdate lists of SNS friends of the user and the other user stored in theuser-originating information database.

The effective application of example of SNS USE will be explained byusing the situation in which the user and the other user happen to seeeach other after a long interval while walking as an example. Under thesituation, the user and the other user could give and receive contactnumbers such as telephone number, email address, or SNS accountinformation after asking after each other. In general, to give andreceive contact numbers, they had to pull out, and hand over, theirbusiness card containing their contact numbers, or have to tell orlisten to their contact numbers and then store the contact numbers intheir mobile devices. To be SNS friends on the SNS such as facebook,they, furthermore, had to go through the seriously cumbersomeprocedures, including logging on the SNS, finding a friend, sending afriend request, and allowing the friend to accept the request. Inaccordance with one example embodiment, it, however, works with a verysimple user interface because the user and the other user may becomefriends if they turn on the same SNS application and then the user takesa first swipe gesture through the user's own mobile device as if theuser handed over the image to the other user the user faces and theother user takes a second swipe gesture through the other user's ownmobile device as if the other user received the image. In other words,the cumbersome procedures, including the user finding the other userunder the name of the other user on the SNS, selecting a certain useramong searched different persons with the same name, sending a friendrequest, etc., may be omitted. Instead, the user may perform theinteraction intuitively.

Meanwhile, it was explained in FIGS. 4A and 4B that the data related tothe interaction for making the SNS friend is transmitted to the otheruser's mobile device, but the user's mobile device may receive the datarelated to the interaction for making the SNS friend from the otheruser's mobile device, of course.

As illustrated in FIG. 5A and 5B, the user and the other user may alsoperform an interaction for a financial transaction through their mobiledevices 200 and 300. In this case, as illustrated in FIG. 5A, abill-shaped image 420 may be displayed on the user's mobile device 200.If the user takes a touch gesture of swiping the bill-shaped image 420in the arrow direction illustrated in FIG. 5A, the data related to theinteraction for the financial transaction is transmitted to the otheruser's mobile device 300. It was explained in FIGS. 5A on assumptionthat the data related to the interaction for the financial transactionwas transmitted to the other user's mobile device, but as the case maybe, the user's mobile device could receive the data. As illustrated inFIG. 5B, the image same as the bill-shaped image 420 (or an image whosecontents are somewhat changed from the image 420 according to asituation of the other user) transmitted from the user's mobile device200 to the other user's mobile device 300 may be displayed. If the otheruser takes a touch gesture of swiping the bill-shaped image 420 in thearrow direction illustrated in FIG. 5B, the server 100 may be allowed toupdate the balance or transactions of the financial accounts of the userand the other user stored in the user-originating information database.At the time, the image 420 may be in the same shape as the currentlyused money for the intuitive recognition of the user. For example, ifthe user intends to perform an interaction for transferring USD 15 tothe other user, after swiping the 10-dollar bill shaped image, the usermay take a touch gesture of swiping a 5-dollar bill shaped image. Inother words, the balance or the transactions of the financial accountare allowed to be updated based on a gesture of handing over the money,i.e., a gesture the user is accustomed to, so that a sense of differencewhich the user accustomed to transactions through money exchange mightfeel when the user conducts Internet banking may be reduced.

The effective application of the example of financial use will beexplained by using the situation in which the user pays back the moneythe user borrowed from the other user as an example. First of all, (i)the user and the other user turn on the same financialtransaction-related application program; (ii) the user selects abill-shaped image from the user's digital wallet (i.e., the financialtransaction-related application) and swipes it to the first direction asif handing over a bill to the other user; and (iii) the other user drawsthe bill displayed on the other user's mobile device to the seconddirection as if the other user received the bill handed over by theuser. Therefore, it can work with a very simple user interface. Becausethe existing method (e.g., NFC method) requires a mobile device to beplaced physically close to another mobile device due to a much narroweroperable scope in comparison with the procedures of (i), (ii), and (iii)and it did not have a significant feature of the example embodiments,i.e., a feature that the mobile devices can be wirelessly connected whenthe digital wallet applications of both users are turned on and they canpay and repay money even though both mobile devices are not physicallycontacted, it causes a lot of inconvenience. In accordance with theexample embodiments, it is possible to reduce a sense of difference fromthe real life by allowing procedures similar to actions taken in thereal life, e.g., actions of the user pulling out from the wallet andhanding over money to the other and the other receiving and putting themoney in his or her own pocket, to be performed. Accordingly, it may beused without any trouble even by users who are not familiar with smartdevices.

As illustrated in FIG. 6, the user may also perform an interaction foran on-line shopping experience through the mobile device 200 and theinformation display device 500. In this case, as illustrated in FIG. 6,a product-shaped image 520 may be displayed on the user's mobile device200. If the user takes a touch gesture of tapping the product-shapedimage 520, the data related to the interaction for the shopping istransmitted to the user's mobile device 300 from the information displaydevice 500. The data may be shopping information on product, pricing,consumer review/rating, or seller that is supplementary to the contentdisplayed on the information display device 500. It was explained inFIG. 6 on assumption that the data related to the interaction for theon-line shopping was transmitted to the user's mobile device 200 fromthe information display device 500, but as the case may be, theinformation display device could receive the data. If the user takes atouch gesture of tapping the touch panel, the server 100 may be allowedto update the data of the shopping of the user and the seller stored inthe user originating information database. For example, if the userintends to perform an interaction for ordering a product, after tappingthe product-shaped image, the user may take a touch gesture of tappingthe 1-click ordering button on the touch panel. In other words, the dataof shopping are allowed to be updated based on a gesture of tapping thebutton, i.e., a gesture the user is accustomed to, so that a sense ofconvenience which the user accustomed to mobile environment might feelmay be applied to on-line shopping.

The effective application of the example of shopping will be explainedby using the situation in which the user orders the product related tothe content displayed on the information display device as an example.The product may be related to the content directly or indirectly, forexample, album or fashion item of the musician of background music of aTV drama show may be the product. First of all, (i) the user turn on theshopping-related application program and a product-shaped image relatedto the content displayed on the information display device istransmitted; (ii) the user touches the product-shaped image and shoppinginformation such as product, price, consumer review/rating and seller isalso transmitted; (iii) the user taps a 1-click ordering button; and(iv) the seller is ordered for delivering the product to the user.Because the existing method requires a server to make sync (no timedelay) for contents displayed in a mobile device and an informationdisplay device, it did not have a significant feature of exampleembodiments, i.e., a feature that the mobile device can be wirelesslyconnected to the information display device and obtains supplementaryinformation in real time. Accordingly, it may be used without anytrouble for sync that may cause inconvenience for on-line shopping.

It was explained that the server 100 is instructed to update informationoriginating from the user and the other user stored in theuser-originating information database by referring to the data relatedto the specific interaction if a gesture of swiping an image by theother user in FIGS. 4A, 4B, 5A and 5B. However, as the case may be, ifother touch gesture of the user is detected, the server 100 can beinstructed to update based on the data as well.

How the information originating from at least either the user and theother user is updated through the server by the user-originatinginformation update instructing part 240 will be found out throughdetailed explanation about the server 100 below.

Next, the communication part may perform a function of allowing datatransmission and reception to/from the server 100 and the other user'smobile device 300.

Finally, the control part 250 may perform a function of controlling dataflow among the touch screen 210, the interaction target searching part220, the interaction initiating part 230, the user-originatinginformation update instructing part 240, and the communication part. Inother words, the control part 250 may control the flow of data from/tooutside or among the components of the mobile device 200 and therebyallow the touch screen 210, the interaction target searching part 220,the interaction initiating part 230, the user-originating informationupdate instructing part 240, and the communication part to perform theirunique functions.

Configuration of the Server

The internal configuration of the server and functions of theircomponents will be explained.

FIG. 3 is a drawing representing the internal configuration of theserver to change at least either of the first user and the second userwith the support of the first mobile device of the first user and thesecond device of the second user in accordance with an exampleembodiment.

As illustrated in FIG. 3, the server 100 may be configured to include adatabase accessing part 110, an interaction information collecting part120, an update performing part 130, an application providing part 140, acommunication part 150, and a control part 160. At least some of thedatabase accessing part 110, the interaction information collecting part120, the update performing part 130, the application providing part 140,the communication part 150 and the control part 160 may be programmodules communicating with the mobile devices 200 and 300. Such programmodules may be included in the server in a form of an operating system,an application program module and other program modules or physicallystored in various storage devices well known to those skilled in theart. In addition, they may be stored in a remote storage device capableof communicating with the server. The program modules may include butnot be subject to a routine, a subroutine, a program, an object, acomponent, and a data structure for executing a specific operation or atype of specific abstract data that will be described.

First of all, the database accessing part 110 may perform a function ofaccessing the user-originating information database where informationoriginating from the first and the second users is stored.

In the specification, the information originating from the first and thesecond users may be stored in the user-originating information database.In other words, information such as information on SNS accounts of thefirst and the second users, lists of friends in their respective SNSaccounts, their financial account numbers, balance, address books (whichare interacted between the user-originating information database andmobile devices) stored in their respective mobile devices, and types andnumber of coupons held by the first and the second users may be storedin the user-originating information database and each information may bestored in different databases. Both the user's and the seller'sinformation such as ID, ordering history, and financial account may bestored as data for the shopping information.

In addition, the user-originating information database may be configuredto be included or separate from the server. In example embodiments, theuser-originating information database as a concept of including acomputer-readable recording medium may include not only a narrow meaningof database but also a wide a broad meaning of database such as datarecord based on file systems. From the aspect, it may be understoodthat, even a set of logs may be included in the database part 240 if itcan be browsed and data can be extracted from the set.

Next, if the first mobile device 200 searches the second mobiledevice(s) 300 as a target to perform the specific interaction within apredetermined distance from the location of the first mobile device 200or searches the second mobile device(s) connected to an AP or a basestation of a cellular network to which the first mobile device 200 isconnected and a specific second mobile device is selected among thesearched second mobile device(s) and then a specified touch gesture isdetected in the first mobile device 200, the interaction informationcollecting part 120 may perform a function of receiving the data relatedto the specific interaction from the second mobile device 300 ortransmitting the data related to the specific interaction to the secondmobile device 300. As described before, the data related to the specificinteraction could include only the instruction data which instructs tobe able to start the whole procedure of interaction. The updateperforming part 130 may perform a function of instructing theinformation originating from at least either of the first and the secondusers stored in the user-originating information database to be updatedby referring to the data related to the specific interaction collectedthrough the interaction information collecting part 120.

More specifically, if the data related to the interaction for making thefirst and the second users be SNS friends with each other is collected,the update performing part 130 may instruct a list of SNS friends of thefirst user or the second user to be updated by referring to collectedinformation on the SNS account of the first user or the second user. Inother words, it may instruct the second user to be added as a SNS friendin the list of SNS friends of the first user and the first user to beadded as a SNS friend in the list of SNS friends of the second user.

If the data related to the interaction for a financial transaction iscollected, the update performing part 130 may instruct the balance orthe transactions of the financial account of at least either of thefirst user and the second user to be updated by referring to thetransaction amount and the information on the financial accounts of thefirst user and the second user. Herein, the financial accountinformation may include information on financial account number,balance, etc. For example, if the interaction for making USD 10 paidfrom the first user to the second user is performed, the updateperforming part 130 may instruct the balance of the financial account ofthe first user to be the amount subtracting USD 10 and instruct that ofthe second user to be the amount increasing USD 10.

If data on a business card is collected, the update performing part 130may instruct the address book of at least either of the first user andthe second user to be updated. For example, if the interaction formaking the name card of the first user transmitted from the first userto the second user is performed, the update performing part 130 mayinstruct the list of the first user to be added in the address book ofthe second user stored in the user-originating information database andinstruct the address book stored in the second mobile device 300 to beupdated together by interacting the mobile device 300 of the second userand the user-originating information database with each other.

If information on a coupon as the data related to the specificinteraction is collected, the update performing part 130 may instructinformation on the coupon of at least of the first user and the seconduser to be updated. For example, if the interaction for making thecoupon transmitted from the first user to the second user is performed,the update performing part 130 may instruct the number of coupons heldby the second user to be increased and, at the same time, instruct thenumber of coupons held by the first user to be reduced, as the case maybe.

Lastly, if data on shopping is collected, the update performing part 130may instruct the product order for the user. As the case may be, if theinteraction for ordering a product of USD 10 is performed, the updateperforming part 130 may instruct the balance of the financial account ofthe user to be the amount subtracting USD 10 and instruct that of theseller to be the amount increasing USD 10.

The application providing part 140 may perform a function of providingan application capable of providing interfacing service which relates toa user-originating information and changing the user-originatinginformation to the first mobile device 200 and the second mobile device300. By referring to the information on the application programinstalled or run in the first mobile device 200 and the second mobiledevice 300, it has been said above that the first mobile device 200 maysearch and select the specific second mobile device 300 of the seconduser as the target to perform the specific interaction. The applicationproviding part 140 may be configured to be included in, or separatefrom, the server.

Next, the communication part 150 may perform a function of allowing datafrom and/or to the database accessing part 110, the interactioninformation collecting part 120, the update performing part 130, theapplication providing part 140, and the user-originating informationdatabase to be transmitted and received.

Lastly, the control part 160 may perform a function of controlling dataflow among the database accessing part 110, the interaction informationcollecting part 120, the update performing part 130, the applicationproviding part 140, and the communication part 150. In other words, thecontrol part 160 may control the flow of data from/to outside or amongthe components of the server 100 and thereby allow the databaseaccessing part 110, the interaction information collecting part 120, theupdate performing part 130, the application providing part 140, and thecommunication part 150 to perform their unique functions.

Example embodiments may bring the effect of easily searching the mobiledevice of the other user which can perform the interaction with theuser.

In accordance with example embodiments, if the gesture of swiping theimage displayed on the mobile device is detected as the specified touchgesture, the effect of simplifying the course of the interaction withthe other user by using the mobile device may be achieved by updatingthe information originating from the user which is related to the other.

In accordance example embodiments, if an interaction for making the userand the other user become SNS friends is performed, when the applicationinstalled in both the mobile devices of the user and the other user isturned on, the interaction becomes possible as well. At the state,because the user and the other user may become SNS friends with eachother by simple swipe gesture, the cumbersome procedures, includingsearching the other user under the name of the other user on SNS,selecting a person who corresponds to the other user among the searchedpersons with the same name, and sending a friend request, may beomitted. The effect of performing an interaction intuitively may beachieved.

In accordance with example embodiments, if the financial transaction isperformed between the user and the other user, when the applicationinstalled in the mobile devices is turned on, the interaction becomespossible between the mobile devices. At the state, just with the simpleswipe gesture (even though both mobile devices are not physicallycontacted or nearly contacted), the effect of financial transactionsbetween the user and the other user may be achieved. The mobile deviceof the user or the other user may be used as a point-of-sale (POS)terminal or as a device exclusive for POS. In both cases, all the mobiledevices may play roles to activate financial transactions.

In accordance with example embodiments, on assumption that a financialtransaction in which the user opens the wallet, pulls out moneycorresponding to transaction amount, and pays the money to the otheruser and the other user opens the wallet, and puts the received money init in real life is mimicked on the mobile device, by making the user'sactions of opening the wallet and paying the other user the money equalto the transaction amount by pulling out from the wallet correspond tothose of running a digital wallet app in the mobile device and sendingthe money to the other user through a fixed entry in the digital walletapp, e.g., sending the money to the other user by the swipe gesture,respectively and making the other user's actions of opening the walletand putting the received money in the wallet correspond to those ofopening the digital wallet app and depositing the received transactionamount to the other user's account in the other user's financialinstitute interacted with the other user's mobile device, the size ofthe artificial effort (load) generated at each stage while setting thenumber of actions for the financial transaction of the user and theother user to be equal may be reduced to achieve the financialtransaction via the mobile device with minimum interruption. These mayreduce the sense of difference of users who are familiar with realfinancial transactions in such financial transactions via mobiledevices.

FIG. 7 is an example drawing to explain a method of changing informationoriginating from a user based on a user interaction on a communicationdevice using a mobile device and a mobile device in accordance with anexample embodiment.

A method of identifying a communication device 720 through a mobiledevice 710 of a user and changing user-originating information of theuser stored in a server 730 (or other device) in response to an input ofa specific interaction on the communication device 720 will be describedby referring to FIG. 7.

In the illustrated example of FIG. 7, the mobile device 710, thecommunication device 720, and the server 730 may correspond to the firstmobile device 200, the second mobile device 300, and the server 100described by referring to FIGS. 1 through 6, respectively.

In the illustrated example, the communication device 720 may be a deviceconfigured to sell products or services. For example, the communicationdevice 720 may be a vending machine configured to sell products orservices or a communication device attached to or included in thevending machine.

The communication device 720 may indicate a device that includes anobject 725 for short-range wireless communication (SRWC) (hereinafter,referred to as SRWC object 725), or may be the SRWC object 725 itself.The SRWC object 725 may be a beacon that includes a communication moduleto establish a communication channel (i.e., wireless communicationconnection) between the mobile device 710 and the communication device720. The communication module may be, for example, a Bluetoothcommunication module or a 5G communication module, or NFC module. Anytype of communication modules that enable pairing between the mobiledevice 710 and the communication device 720 may be used. The SRWC object725 may be configured to attach to a vending machine and broadcastidentification information of the vending machine. In the following,explanation will be made without particularly distinguishing thecommunication the device 720 and the SRWC object 725 from each other.

Hereinafter, operations of the mobile device 710, the communicationdevice 720, and the server 730 will be further described.

The communication device 720 may broadcast identification information ofthe communication device 720, and the mobile device 710 may identify thecommunication device 720 by receiving the broadcasted identificationinformation (e.g., a beacon ID) of the communication device 720. Themobile device 710 may transmit the received identification informationof the communication device 720 to the server 730.

The server 730 may transmit information on a service (e.g., a product ora service to be sold or provided through the communication device 720,or a payment service thereof) associated with the communication device720 based on the received identification information of thecommunication device 720.

Meanwhile, the mobile device 710 may complete pairing with thecommunication device 720. Once the pairing is completed, the user of themobile device 710 may select a desired product or a desired serviceamong products or services sold or provided through the communicationdevice 720 by inputting a specific interaction on the communicationdevice 720. Information on the selected product or service may betransferred from the communication device 720 to the server 730 throughthe mobile device 710. The server 730 may request the payment bytransferring payment related information to the mobile device 710 basedon the selected product or service, and may update informationoriginating from the user (i.e., user-originating information) of themobile device 710 in response to processing and completing of thepayment. Once the payment is completed, the user may receive theselected product or service.

That is, the user may identify the communication device 720corresponding to the vending machine through the mobile device 710, mayenable paring between the communication device 720 and the mobile device710, and may perform the payment for the product or the servicepurchased through the vending machine using the mobile device 710 (i.e.,through the service provided from the mobile device 710). Informationoriginating from the user according to the payment may be automaticallyupdated on the server 730. After updating the payment information, theuser may be provided with the selected product or service by thecommunication device 720. For example, the vending machine may dispensethe selected product to the user.

The explanation relating to the technical features made by referring toFIGS. 1 through 6 may be applicable to FIG. 7 and thus duplicateexplanation is omitted herein. For example, the mobile device 710 mayallow the user may purchase a product and/or a service without bills,coins or credit cards, and facilitate the communication device 720processing the payment. Therefore, user convenience may be improved byautomatically updating/managing the user-originating information inaccordance with the processed payment.

FIG. 8 is a signal flowchart illustrating transmission and reception ofinformation/data among a mobile device, a communication device, and aserver in accordance with an example embodiment.

A method of changing information originating from a user according tooperations of the mobile device 710, the communication device 720, andthe server 730 of FIG. 7 will be further described by referring to FIG.8.

In operation 810, the communication device 720 may broadcastidentification information of the communication device 720. Theidentification information of the communication device 720 may be abeacon ID of a beacon corresponding to the communication device 720. Thebeacon ID may correspond to or include identification information, forexample, a vending machine ID, of a vending machine to which thecorresponding beacon is attached. However, example embodiments are notlimited thereto.

In operation 815, the mobile device 710 may identify the communicationdevice 720 present within a desired (or, alternatively, a predetermined)distance. For example, the mobile device 710 may identify thecommunication device 720 by receiving the identification information ofthe communication device 720 that is broadcasted from the communicationdevice 720 present within the desired (or, alternatively, thepredetermined) distance. For example, a communicator of the mobiledevice 710 may include a Bluetooth communication module and may identifythe communication device 720 by scanning or searching at least onecommunication device 720 capable of being paired with the mobile device710 using the Bluetooth communication module. The desired (or,alternatively, the predetermined) distance may be a maximum distancewithin which the mobile device 710 may receive data broadcasted from thecommunication device 720. The identified communication device 720 may bea target to perform a specific interaction for changing user-originatinginformation.

For example, the mobile device 710 may identify the communication device720 when a user with the mobile device 710 passes by the communicationdevice 720 present within the desired (or, alternatively, thepredetermined) distance. The presence of the communication device 720may be notified to the mobile device 710 through, for example, a pop-upwindow, etc.

In operation 820, the mobile device 710 may transmit the receivedidentification information of the communication device 720 to the server730.

In operation 822, the server 730 may obtain information on a serviceassociated with the communication device 720 based on the receivedidentification information of the communication device 720. For example,the server 730 may obtain information on a company of a vending machinecorresponding to the identification information or a service or aproduct sold through the vending machine based on the receivedidentification information of the communication device 720.Alternatively, information on the service associated with thecommunication device 720 may include information used to provide apayment service for the service or the product being sold through thevending machine. However, example embodiments are not limited thereto.

In operation 825, the mobile device 710 may receive information on theservice associated with the communication device 720 from the server730. The received information on the related service may be informationused for a specific application. For example, information on the servicemay include open account information or official account information forproviding the service in association with a messenger applicationprogram. An open account or an official account may be an account forproviding information on the company of the vending machine or theservice or the product being sold through the vending machine.Alternatively, the open account or the official account may be anaccount for providing a payment service for the service or the productbeing sold through the vending machine.

Alternatively, at least a portion of functions of the receivedinformation on the related service may be information available in a webapp. The aforementioned specific application may be required to use allof the functions of the received information on the related service.

In operation 830, the mobile device 710 may determine whether thespecific application for using the information on the service receivedfrom the server 730 is installed therein. If the messenger applicationprogram corresponding to the specific application is not installed inthe mobile device 710, the mobile device 710 may receive a request toinstall the messenger application program therein from the server 730 orother server associated with the installation of the messengerapplication program. For example, the mobile device 710 may output apop-up window that requests installation of the messenger applicationprogram on a screen and may provide connection to appstore, etc., forinstallation of the messenger application program. However, exampleembodiments are not limited thereto.

If the messenger application program is installed in the mobile device710 and the aforementioned open account or official account is added asa friend, the service associated with the communication device 720 maybe provided through the open account or the official account.

In operation 840, the mobile device 710 may establish a communicationchannel with the communication device 720. Establishment of thecommunication channel may indicate establishing a channel that enableswireless communication, and may indicate, for example, that pairingbetween the mobile device 710 and the communication device 720 iscompleted.

The communication channel may be established when a specific touchgesture is detected by the mobile device 710. For example, a pop-upwindow asking whether to complete pairing with the communication device720 may be displayed on the mobile device 710, and pairing between themobile device 710 and the communication device 720 may be completed byapproving the completion through a touch input on the displayed pop-upwindow.

Pairing between the mobile device 710 and the communication device 720may be performed when information is received from the server 730 inoperation 825 or after receiving the corresponding information.Alternatively, pairing between the mobile device 710 and thecommunication device 720 may be performed before receiving theinformation from the server 730 in operation 825 (e.g., afteridentifying the communication device 720 in operation 815).

The communication device 720 paired with the mobile device 710 may beconfigured to communicate with the mobile device 710 and to notcommunicate with the server 730.

In operation 845, the communication device 720 may receive a selectionon a product or a service from the user of the mobile device 710. Forexample, the communication device 720 may receive a selection (i.e., aselection from the user on a product or a service that the user desiresto purchase) from the user on a product or a service being sold at thevending machine which the communication device 720 is attached to orincluded in. The specific interaction may include the selection from theuser on the product or the service. The selection may be directlyimplemented on the vending machine or the communication device 720. Theinput of the specific interaction on the communication device 720 andtransmission of data related to the specific interaction to thecommunication device 720 may be performed using a specific interactionrelated program of the communication device 720.

Alternatively, the selection may be indirectly implemented through themobile device 710. In this case, operation 850 may be omitted.

In operation 850, the mobile device 710 may receive data includinginformation on the product or the service selected by the user asspecific interaction related data from the communication device 720.Information on the product or the service selected by the user maycorrespond to information on the product or the service of which apayment is requested to the server 730 as information on the product orthe service that the ser desires to purchase.

In operation 855, the mobile device 710 may transmit the receivedspecific interaction related data to the server 730. That is, the mobiledevice 710 may transmit, to the server 730, data including informationon the product or the service selected by the user.

In operation 860, the server 130 may generate payment information on theproduct or the service selected by the user based on the receivedinformation. The payment information may include information thatrequests the mobile device 710 for the payment for the product or theservice selected by the user.

In operation 865, the mobile device 710 may receive the payment requestfor the product or the service selected by the user from the server 730.

In operation 870, the mobile device 710 may receive a selection on a adesired (or, alternatively, a predetermined) payment method from theuser in response to the payment request. For example, a service for thepayment may be provided through the specific application (messengerapplication program) and the user may select the payment method byselecting a user interface corresponding to each payment methoddisplayed through the corresponding specific application. The paymentmethod may be selected as at least one of a cash payment, a credit cardpayment (a direct payment or a payment using a credit card registered tothe mobile device 710 or the messenger application program), a paymentusing e-currency, and a payment using a point.

In operation 875, the mobile device 710 may request the server 730 forpayment processing for the product or the service selected by the userbased on the selected payment method. Here, information such asauthentication information (input through the mobile device 710)requested for payment processing by the server 730 may be transferred tothe server 730.

If at least a portion of an amount of the product or the service isdirectly paid to the vending machine with cash or credit card, themobile device 710 may receive information on the corresponding paidamount from the communication device 720, and the mobile device 710 maytransfer the received information on the paid amount to the server 730.Here, payment processing about a remaining amount may be performed inthe server 730.

In operation 880, the server 730 may complete payment processing for theselected product or service based on the payment method selected by theuser and information including the authentication information.

In operation 885, the server 730 may update user-originating informationstored in the server 730 or in a storage device interacting with theserver 730 based on the specific interaction related data (i.e.,information on the product or the service selected by the user). Theuser-originating information may be automatically updated in response tothe completion of the aforementioned payment processing. Theuser-originating information may include balance or transactioninformation of a financial account of the user, balance or pointtransaction information of the point. The user-originating informationmay be appropriately updated by applying contents of the payment inresponse to the completion of the payment processing according to theuser purchase on the product or the service.

Once the payment is completed, the user may receive the paid product orservice.

Transmission and reception of information/data of the mobile device 710may be performed through the communicator of the mobile device 710, andthe operation (the aforementioned operation) of the mobile device 710may be performed through the controller or the processor. Also,transmission and reception of information/data of the server 730 may beperformed through the communicator of the server 730, and the operation(the aforementioned operation) of the server 730 may be performedthrough a controller or a processor.

To perform the above-described purchase and payment of a product or aservice based on a specific interaction and update of user-originatinginformation, the specific interaction related application program mayneed to be executed in the mobile device 710. It will do as long as theapplication program is running either background or foreground of themobile device 710. The specific application program may correspond tothe messenger application program.

The explanation relating to the technical features made by referring toFIGS. 1 through 7 may be applicable to FIG. 8 and thus duplicateexplanation is omitted herein.

Example embodiments as explained above can be implemented in a form ofexecutable program command through a variety of computer meansrecordable to computer readable media. The computer readable media mayinclude solely or in combination, program commands, data files, and datastructures. The program commands recorded to the media may be componentsspecially designed for example embodiments or may be usable to a skilledperson in a field of computer software. Computer readable record mediainclude magnetic media such as hard disk, floppy disk, and magnetictape, optical media such as CD-ROM and DVD, magneto-optical media suchas floptical disk and hardware devices such as ROM, RAM, and flashmemory specially designed to store and carry out programs. Programcommands include not only a machine language code made by a complier butalso a high level code that can be used by an interpreter etc., which isexecuted by a computer. The aforementioned hardware device can work asmore than a software module to perform the operations included in theexample embodiments and they can do the same in the opposite case.

As seen above, the example embodiments have been explained by specificmatters such as detailed components, limited embodiments, and drawings.While the example embodiments have been shown and described with respectto some example embodiments, it, however, will be understood by thoseskilled in the art that various changes and modification may be madewithout departing from the spirit and scope of the example embodimentsas defined in the following claims.

Accordingly, the example embodiments must not be confined to theexplained embodiments, and the following patent claims as well aseverything including variations equal or equivalent to the patent claimspertain to the category of the thought of the example embodiments.

According to one or more example embodiments, the units and/or devicesdescribed above, such as the components of the mobile device 200including the interaction target searching part 220, the interactioninitiating part 230, the user-originating information update instructingpart 240, the communication part (non-illustrated), and the control part250 may be implemented using hardware, a combination of hardware andsoftware, or a non-transitory storage medium storing software that isexecutable to perform the functions of the same. These components may beembodied in the same hardware platform or in separate hardwareplatforms.

Hardware may be implemented using processing circuity such as, but notlimited to, one or more processors, one or more Central Processing Units(CPUs), one or more controllers, one or more arithmetic logic units(ALUs), one or more digital signal processors (DSPs), one or moremicrocomputers, one or more field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), oneor more System-on-Chips (SoCs), one or more programmable logic units(PLUs), one or more microprocessors, one or more Application SpecificIntegrated Circuits (ASICs), or any other device or devices capable ofresponding to and executing instructions in a defined manner.

Software may include a computer program, program code, instructions, orsome combination thereof, for independently or collectively instructingor configuring a hardware device to operate as desired. The computerprogram and/or program code may include program or computer-readableinstructions, software components, software modules, data files, datastructures, etc., capable of being implemented by one or more hardwaredevices, such as one or more of the hardware devices mentioned above.Examples of program code include both machine code produced by acompiler and higher level program code that is executed using aninterpreter.

For example, when a hardware device is a computer processing device(e.g., one or more processors, CPUs, controllers, ALUs, DSPs,microcomputers, microprocessors, etc.), the computer processing devicemay be configured to carry out program code by performing arithmetical,logical, and input/output operations, according to the program code.Once the program code is loaded into a computer processing device, thecomputer processing device may be programmed to perform the programcode, thereby transforming the computer processing device into a specialpurpose computer processing device. In a more specific example, when theprogram code is loaded into a processor, the processor becomesprogrammed to perform the program code and operations correspondingthereto, thereby transforming the processor into a special purposeprocessor. In another example, the hardware device may be an integratedcircuit customized into special purpose processing circuitry (e.g., anASIC).

Storage media may also include one or more storage devices at unitsand/or devices according to one or more example embodiments. The one ormore storage devices may be tangible or non-transitory computer-readablestorage media, such as random access memory (RAM), read only memory(ROM), a permanent mass storage device (such as a disk drive), and/orany other like data storage mechanism capable of storing and recordingdata. The one or more storage devices may be configured to storecomputer programs, program code, instructions, or some combinationthereof, for one or more operating systems and/or for implementing theexample embodiments described herein. The computer programs, programcode, instructions, or some combination thereof, may also be loaded froma separate computer readable storage medium into the one or more storagedevices and/or one or more computer processing devices using a drivemechanism. Such separate computer readable storage medium may include aUniversal Serial Bus (USB) flash drive, a memory stick, aBlu-ray/DVD/CD-ROM drive, a memory card, and/or other like computerreadable storage media.

The computer programs, program code, instructions, or some combinationthereof, may be loaded into the one or more storage devices and/or theone or more computer processing devices from a remote data storagedevice via a network interface, rather than via a computer readablestorage medium. Additionally, the computer programs, program code,instructions, or some combination thereof, may be loaded into the one ormore storage devices and/or the one or more processors from a remotecomputing system that is configured to transfer and/or distribute thecomputer programs, program code, instructions, or some combinationthereof, over a network. The remote computing system may transfer and/ordistribute the computer programs, program code, instructions, or somecombination thereof, via a wired interface, an air interface, and/or anyother like medium.

The one or more hardware devices, the storage media, the computerprograms, program code, instructions, or some combination thereof, maybe specially designed and constructed for the purposes of the exampleembodiments, or they may be known devices that are altered and/ormodified for the purposes of example embodiments.

What is claimed is:
 1. A non-transitory computer-readable mediumincluding computer readable instructions, which when executed, cause atleast one processor of a mobile device of a user to execute anapplication program in one of a background and foreground of the mobiledevice to, identify at least one communication device within a firstdistance from the mobile device as a target to perform a specificinteraction to change user-originating information, establish acommunication channel with the communication device in response todetection of a specified touch gesture on a screen associated with themobile device, receive, from the communication device, data related tothe specific interaction in response to the user providing an input tothe communication device, and transmit, to a server, the data related tothe specific interaction to instruct the server to update userinformation stored in the server or a storage device interacted with theserver based on the data related to the specific interaction.
 2. Thenon-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein thenon-transitory computer-readable medium, when executed, configures theprocessor to identify the communication device by receivingidentification information broadcast from the communication device, theidentification information identifying the communication device.
 3. Thenon-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 2, wherein thenon-transitory computer-readable medium, when executed, configures theprocessor to, transmit the identification information to the server, andreceive information on a service associated with the communicationdevice from the server.
 4. The non-transitory computer-readable mediumof claim 3, wherein the application program is a messenger applicationprogram that, when executed, configures the processor to exchangemessages between the communication device and the mobile device, and theinformation on the service received from the server includes accountinformation for providing the service in association with the messengerapplication program.
 5. The non-transitory computer-readable medium ofclaim 4, wherein the non-transitory computer-readable medium, whenexecuted, further configures the processor to, output a request toinstall the messenger application program on the mobile device inresponse to determining that the messenger application program is notinstalled in the mobile device.
 6. The non-transitory computer-readablemedium of claim 1, wherein the non-transitory computer-readable medium,when executed, further configures the processor to establish thecommunication channel with the communication device through pairing themobile device with the communication device, and wherein thecommunication device is configured to communicate with the server onlyindirectly via with the mobile device such that the communication devicedoes not directly communicate with the server.
 7. The non-transitorycomputer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the data related to thespecific interaction includes information on a product or a serviceselected by the user.
 8. The non-transitory computer-readable medium ofclaim 7, wherein the non-transitory computer-readable medium, whenexecuted, further configures the processor to communicate with thecommunication device via a short-range wireless communication deviceassociated with the communication device, and wherein the communicationdevice is included in a vending machine that sells the product or theservice such that the specific interaction is a selection from the useron the product or the service that is sold by the vending machine. 9.The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 7, wherein thenon-transitory computer-readable medium, when executed, furtherconfigures the processor to, receive a payment request for the productor the service from the server, receive a selection of a payment methodfrom the user in response to the payment request, request paymentprocessing for the product or the service based on the payment method,and instruct the server to update the user information in response tocompletion of the payment processing.
 10. The non-transitorycomputer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the payment method isselected from among a cash payment method, a credit card payment method,a payment method using electronic currency, and a payment method using apoint.
 11. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1,wherein the specific touch gesture is a touch input by the user on apop-up window displayed on the mobile device.
 12. A mobile devicecomprising: a memory configured to store an application program; and atleast one processor configured to execute the application program in oneof a background and foreground of the mobile device to, identify atleast one communication device within a first distance from the mobiledevice as a target to perform a specific interaction to changeuser-originating information, establish a communication channel with thecommunication device in response to detection of a specified touchgesture on a screen associated with the mobile device, receive, from thecommunication device, data related to the specific interaction inresponse to a user providing an input to the communication device, andtransmit, to a server, the data related to the specific interaction toinstruct the server to update user information stored in the server or astorage device interacted with the server based on the data related tothe specific interaction.
 13. The mobile device of claim 12, wherein theapplication program, when executed, configures the at least oneprocessor to identify the communication device by receivingidentification information broadcast from the communication device, theidentification information identifying the communication device.
 14. Themobile device of claim 13, wherein the application program, whenexecuted, configures the at least one processor to, transmit theidentification information to the server, and receive information on aservice associated with the communication device from the server. 15.The mobile device of claim 12, wherein the application program, whenexecuted, configures the at least one processor to establish thecommunication channel with the communication device through pairing themobile device with the communication device, and wherein thecommunication device is configured to communicate with the server onlyindirectly via with the mobile device such that the communication devicedoes not directly communicate with the server.
 16. The mobile device ofclaim 12, wherein the data related to the specific interaction includesinformation on a product or a service selected by the user.
 17. Themobile device of claim 16, wherein the application program, whenexecuted, configures the at least one processor to communicate with thecommunication device via a short-range wireless communication deviceassociated with the communication device, and wherein the communicationdevice is included in a vending machine that sells the product or theservice such that the specific interaction is a selection from the useron the product or the service that is sold by the vending machine. 18.The mobile device of claim 16, wherein the application program, whenexecuted, configures the at least one processor to, receive a paymentrequest for the product or the service from the server, receive aselection of a payment method from the user in response to the paymentrequest, request payment processing for the product or the service basedon the payment method, and instruct the server to update the userinformation in response to completion of the payment processing.
 19. Amethod of operating a mobile device, the mobile device including atleast one processor to execute an application program in one of abackground and foreground of the mobile device, the method comprising:identifying at least one communication device within a first distancefrom the mobile device as a target to perform a specific interaction tochange user-originating information, establishing a communicationchannel with the communication device in response to detection of aspecified touch gesture on a screen associated with the mobile device,receiving, from the communication device, data related to the specificinteraction in response to a user providing an input to thecommunication device, and transmitting, to a server, the data related tothe specific interaction to instruct the server to update userinformation stored in the server or a storage device interacted with theserver based on the data related to the specific interaction.
 20. Themethod of claim 19 further comprising: communicating with thecommunication device via a short-range wireless communication deviceassociated with the communication device, and wherein the data relatedto the specific interaction includes information on a product or aservice selected by the user, and the communication device is includedin a vending machine that sells the product or the service such that thespecific interaction is a selection from the user on the product or theservice that is sold by the vending machine.